Annual expectations thread 2022/23: #20 Lawrence Pilut

[dudacek]

A 2-way contract offer may have sent Pilut packing to the KHL after the 2020 season, but it didn't prevent him from coming back two years later.

Larry spent a good portion of last season watching his production plummet while trying to get out of his Russian contract, but he bounced back nicely with 8 points in 15 playoff games for the delightfully named Chelyabinsk Traktor.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=170049

Once that contract hurdle was cleared, the Sabres immediately welcomed him back on a one-year deal that will walk him to unrestricted free agency next summer.

Now 26, Pilut has proven to be an topnotch point producer from the blueline when playing outside the NHL. Prior last season, he put up a 4-year run of 115 points in 186 games combined in the SHL, the AHL and the KHL. He also picked up a vocal collection of fans thanks to some impressive analytics while in North America.

What do you expect from Lawrence Pilut this year?

Edited September 22, 2022 by dudacek

[Pimlach]

Rochester is his team.  He comes up a few times and does ok. 

[Taro T]

Expect him & Fitzgerald to be the 7 & 8s.  

If one of the other tweeners passes him for pressbox duty, expecting he'll be an AHL All Star.

[Eleven]

Low expectations, here.  I've been nothing but optimistic or even shoot-for-the-moon so far, but not every guy will be an All-Star.  Pilut will be in Europe or Asia by fall 2023 or maybe 2024, and will not be a major contributor here this coming season.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Eleven

[PerreaultForever]

I didn't think he was any good before. I doubt he's gotten any better and the competition is stiffer this time around. He's below Fitzgerald imo. 

[triumph_communes]

Better than Fitz 

[steveoath]

Won't do much. Trade bait. 

[French Collection]

Similar skill set to Bryson. He will play when injuries take out a few Dmen.

There is more talent and support around than in his last stint so he will do fine in that 7-8 role.

[Weave]

He’s a tweener.  The only way he doesn’t play more AHL games than NHL games is if we run into injury issues.

[Amerks8796]

8 hours ago, Taro T said:

Expect him & Fitzgerald to be the 7 & 8s.  

If one of the other tweeners passes him for pressbox duty, expecting he'll be an AHL All Star.

I think the Sabres go 14 and 7. Pilut will be the first D call up. 

[Taro T]

2 minutes ago, Amerks8796 said:

I think the Sabres go 14 and 7. Pilut will be the first D call up. 

It's possible, but 13 & 8 makes practices run much smoother.  Really expect them to primarily go w/ that for that reason.

[Amerks8796]

Just now, Taro T said:

It's possible, but 13 & 8 makes practices run much smoother.  Really expect them to primarily go w/ that for that reason.

That would probably mean one of Peterka or Krebs gets sent down. I can see this happening if someone has a bad camp. 

[Doohickie]

You put up options so I selected one of them.  I really have no expectations for him though, other than he will be there when called upon.

[Huckleberry]

number 5 D 😛

[Curt]

I think he will be a top-4 player in Rochester for most of the season.  Will be a call up a couple times when there are injuries.  He probably gets into a few NHL games, but I’d be a little surprised if he plays more than 10 NHL games.

[SwampD]

Has anyone even seen him play since his last game as a Sabre? I haven’t.

I have no idea whatsoever what to expect from him. I hope he’s good and makes the team better.

[Zamboni]

Due to a lot of injuries throughout the year… I think Pilut will play at least 25 NHL games.

 

[DarthEbriate]

AHL All-Star and rented at the trade deadline to a team looking for a #8 for the playoffs.

[nfreeman]

I voted mostly Rochester, but there is a decent chance that he jumps over one or both of Bryson and Fitzie, as those 2 are still pretty unproven.  

[dudacek]

I wonder if the results indicate people weren’t as high on Pilut as I remembered, or people just think the overall quality of his competition is that much better.

Seems to me the only guy he could bump is Bryson and Bryson seems significantly better defending.

[Thorny]

From the viewings I remember I’d have Pilut somewhere just below Jokijarhu, above Bryson. 

[Norcal]

I think he'll play some games and add to the offense in them. 

I expect him to be a good teammate and work hard since he'll be a UFA next season so he's auditioning for the rest of the league. 

[dudacek]

Pilut battles Fitzgerald for the #7 slot. 

Not sure who gets it, or if the Sabres keep 8 D

[Taro T]

3 minutes ago, dudacek said:

Pilut battles Fitzgerald for the #7 slot. 

Not sure who gets it, or if the Sabres keep 8 D

Still say they keep 8.

[Pimlach]

On 8/25/2022 at 12:55 AM, triumph_communes said:

Better than Fitz 

I don’t thinks so.  I like the feisty part of Fitz.